'The King and I' - still whistles a happy tune

"Something Wondrful" pulled into town in the latest revival tour of Rogers and Hammerstein's "The King and I." With its lavish sets and timeless score this classic has not lost it's charm.

 This production proves to be a delightful showcase for Sandy Duncan who is warm and engaging as Anna the self-reliant governess sent to Siam to tame the King's harem of children.

 The original choreography of Jerome Robbins remains intact but this production chooses Asian director Baayork Lee who is certainly no stranger to Broadway. Ms. Lee has been in a dozen Broadway shows from A Chorus Line to the original Broadway production of The King and I at age five. There are no lulls or unpleasant surprises in either the direction or the choreography, which has been delightfully retained in this timeless treasure.

 Casting is solid, and while Ms. Duncan does stretch the age barrier a bit, she does so with convincing youth and energy. As the King, Martin Vidnovic is not as convincing. His stature is less than impressive physically and his character doesn't quite reach the level of pompous arrogance that one would anticipate the intolerant "Lord of Light" to be. Vidnovic struggles painfully with his accent making many of his lines indistinguishable.

The supporting cast more than exceeds expectation. Luz Lor is a joy to see and hear as the King's unhappy concubine Tuptim and Martin Sola plays the dashing secret lover Lun Tha with a dreamy, rich baritone voice. There two duets "We Kiss in a Shadow" and "I Have Dreamed" are luscious and heart tugging. The role of Lady Thiang is played by Catherine MiEun Choi and is indeed "Something Wonderful." She is both lovely and moving.

 Set in the 1860's in the exotic capital city of Bangkok, The King and I is a story about the relationship and clash of customs between a powerful, stubborn king and a determined governess who is charged with educating the king's royal children. The show is based on the true-life adventures of English widow Anna Leonowens, and the best-selling 1944 novel, Anna and the King of Siam.

 The original Broadway production opened in March of 1951 and received 5 Tony Awards in 1952. With a budget of $360,000.00 this made The King and I the most expensive Rodgers & Hammerstein musical to date and one of the most lavish sets in Broadway history. The original King, Yul Brynner performed the role of King 4,625 times over a 34-year span both on stage and on film. He brought The King and I back to Broadway for two separate triumphant engagements; the later, the culmination of his farewell tour was presented in 1985, the final year of his life.

 

Others to join the ranks of original stars Yul Brynner and Gertrude Lawrence are such notable actors including Marie Osmond, Donna Murphy, Hayley Mills, Susan Hampshire, Angela Lansbury, Barbara Cook, Jan Clayton, Jeannette MacDonald, Betsy Palmer, Eileen Brennan, Betty White, Virginia McKenna and Florence Henderson. The King has been played by, among others, Lou Diamond Phillips, Darren McGavin, Alfred Drake, Cameron Mitchell, Farley Granger, Ricardo Montalban, Pernell Roberts, Theodore Bikel, Stacey Keach, and Rudolf Nureyev.

 The score possess some of the most classic and beautiful standards such as "Hello Young Lovers," "Shall We Dance?" and "Getting To Know You."

 The King and I plays at the Academy of Music, Philadelphia, Pa. from September 7-12.

 For information and upcoming events: visit www.kimmelcenter.org/broadway or call 1.215.893.1955

Photo Credits: Joan Marcus